The Ferrari team principal, Frederic Vasseur, expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s preparations for the Chinese Grand Prix, admitting that they fell below expectations. The team’s perfect podium record at the start of the 2024 season came to an end in Shanghai, as McLaren’s Lando Norris finished ahead of the Red Bull drivers. Despite a disappointing performance in qualifying, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc remained hopeful regarding the team’s race pace. However, Leclerc was unable to challenge Norris in the final stages of the race, finishing in fourth place, 10 seconds behind. Vasseur suggested that the newly resurfaced track in Shanghai may have played a role in their difficulties, but acknowledged that other teams handled the situation better. He emphasized the need for Ferrari to improve their preparation for the upcoming races. Ferrari plans to introduce new parts for their SF-24 car in Miami, followed by a major upgrade package at their home race in Imola. However, Vasseur warned that their upgrades will be ineffective if the team does not maximize their potential.
However, Vasseur admitted that Ferrari’s below-average speed with low fuel was the decisive factor that prevented Leclerc or Carlos Sainz from improving their fourth and fifth place positions.
“Well, it’s not beneficial to lose a position at the start, but in the end, we were behind Perez and Norris at the start and we remained behind them at the end of the race,” he stated.
“I believe that if we lacked something today, it was more during the latter part of the race.
“And if something was missing today, it was starting too far back on the grid, undoubtedly. That was more of an issue yesterday.
“And today, we were a bit less competitive, I think, with the hard tire compared to the medium.”
Leclerc expressed confusion at losing up to “half a second” per lap to Norris on the hard tire, as the race resumed from lap 30 until the end.
Vasseur echoed the Monegasque’s comments, stating that Ferrari had the situation “under control” with the medium compound, but then “fell behind” their competitors on the hard tire.
While Leclerc made his only pit stop during the Virtual Safety Car period, Sainz switched tires earlier and was forced to complete a long stint until the end.
“We stopped three, four laps before the Virtual Safety Car, which then became the Safety Car,” the Frenchman recalled.
“Carlos was worried, therefore, that he would have to do a long stint on the hard tire, but he handled it well. He was a bit cautious at the beginning, but then dealt effectively with the rest of the stint.
